New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-21
TRAGEDY ON THE BEACH.
q MARSH COULD HAVE GOT IN IF HE HADN'T
STOPPED FOR LILY"

incident and We tell ourselves thlt something has
Cured But in real life, in tho genuine realism,
people still have adventures. They get drowned )
they break their necks their backs; they die sud-
denly. In fact, in real life men and women arc even
yet capable Of falling in love, violently and un-
| roasonbly."
Thus / dscoursed as sat in front OF our tent
late aftornoon 1 had been reading aloud from
the pages of book recently published. My audience
consisted Of Carlos, Mrs Rankin and Max Max was
sOmnocIA "a good deal of the time, but would oc-
casIonaly up and have the appearance, for the
space Of half minute of being profoundly Interested
Tlen he would lapse into state of Inconsistencies
Mrs. Rankin sat with her usual upnghtness, In a
camp chair which faced the She had been with US
since noon, having brought some black huckleberres
and two largo cuoumbers which she insisted on CIV
ing U.s. She said she wouldn't give cent for berry
cake without slice Of cucumber with 10 She was
knitting an "orcn wOrx"couOn stocking for LILY as
she sat thero The day hal been olc Of really fearful
heat like 50 many days this summer Every brea'h
of wind had now subsidized, and the water lay gicam-
ing holly bonoath the red west.
Lily Rankin had with her grandmother, but
Ind boon out for hours in dory by herself
The child used 10 dOry, Mrs. Rankin said, as
other children rag babies; and sic seemed To
think that dories were harmless as rag babies.
Tic red of the west dfusng itself through
some rolling clouds. Mrs Ranns eye never seemed
to leave that bit of boat that was rocking little
beyond Seal Ledge We could just make out the figure
In IL With a broad white bat hanging OF tic head
81 expect Liiy's marked with the ocean," said
Randy "Shc'n set for hours with tho oars In the
bottom Of the boat, Jest gain and brcathn' deep
When | asked what she thinking about once. she
told me she wasn't thinking about anything She was
lest adrnkn it al into her soul Oh, do hope that the
Lord won't let that child suffer too much In this world
sbo en- suffer, enjoy, more In minute than mOsf
folks I'm year.
said ofterT had my
the reading she had made but one remark
"Seems to me-, abe sald &" the feucr that wrote
that must hev known awful lot Of mighty common
folks If met UNI face to face wouldn't stay with
um minute. They'd tire me to death. But be has
kind OF a knack, don't ho, somehow
We did not feel like talking On the stretch OF
beach to the westward, where tho cottages were,
everybody was out. White dresses and gay ribbons
were there Up ON tho ridge all the fishermen and
their wives and children were out also, SITTING on ue
shlnglo or moving indolendy but resdessly striving
for some sense of case In this close atmosphere
Presently Maria Jane Yates stroned up ~ our party
and sat down ON the grass. Everybody looked
pale and tagged We asked where Mr.. Yates was and
were told that lie had Just gone out In his dOry.
"He sad,r went Maria Jane, that he couldn'
stand the heat shore another minute anu IL
twant 50 hot there. he shouldn't come pacK iore
midnight. l declare this Is the toughest summer
eve, did know Is that Lily Rankin tother side the
she's mind to, don't she ~
Randy replied with asIeriy that "f girl hadn't
mind to do anything bad, she for one dioht Rho"
why she shouldn't do a. sho'd mind to-
"Nor nuther p said Maria Jane heartily. lAly's
a girl you can't help lOvin " save your NO. guess
Jim Hatch thinks 50 too"
Randy started If she had been stuhs her
worn face flushed painful crimson
"Jim Hatch - said violently.
"Iber alnt better Teller Oh the ridge, nor smarter
colder and percher,o maintained Mrs. Yates.
Mira Rankin had herself IN hand now, though her
cheeks were stu red
81 have nothing against James Hatch" she respond
cd with dignity
The subject dropped.
one strong. swift breath Of wind swept from the
west then all was stn again From rel tho clouds
had assumed a grcensh tint 1t was now so sitting
It seemed ~ If huge, hot blanket had been thrown
over ils and was held down Dy IItan-
Randy suOod up.
al guess Llyd better como in" she said.
she put Ter hands beside her mouth and gave
shrll penetrating call. Lily heard her, for she took
off her hat and waved 1t toward the oiuii' WIN
the opera glass we could plainly that she mme-
diaely began to row shorewad. somewhat further
away toward the north saw Marsh fdIcs III MS fou
shirt sitting In his boat
"Twont do no good to call TO Marsh," said his Vile
al ight spit my throat n he wouldn't come In TIL
he got ready. Besides hos safe there's any where
| d knows there could anything hurt hlH IL no
in his dory.'
Wo all save Mrs Rankin settled back again into
our lansuor and ceased " watch the or the sky
She began 10 restlessly about She took the
opera glasses and gaZed. Then she shaded her eyes
aud gazed Lllys dory was gliding toward Us slowly
over the still water. The countless figures saun-
tered on the beach In front Of the cottages. 1t Was
gyowlng darker. suddenly 1t longer stu.
A wind camo from knew not where. 1t bent US
over stood the cliff. The gay crowd OF there
scattered Ike butterflies. The black water boiled
and foamod Tho green cloud was rising In the sky,
trailing funnel shaped toward the zenith Lightning
played on it, bosom. Untl now there had boon no
thunder II began to crash and cTaclle. We
could not stand upright, but tried to 10 so that
We might watch those two in dores
Marsh always did say no ruthor DO Ia his boat
In 4 tempest" said Mrs Yates In shrll voice.
But her face behed her words Tue small nat
botlomed boats went about like chips Randy was
the only VINO could stand upright. AL at onco
sho dropped the glasses. l was close by her, and
something made HE take fast hold of her arm She
turned to me, but do not think she saw me.
Lily lost an oar she said
/ knew by the movement Of her lips what heT
wprts were. Carlos stopped and picked up the
lorsuette. The next moment she put her month W
MARSH viii save hori lie has almost reached herr"
done Gs m S Ts i'm St Mas SS the S
hsherman was at home out there. Maria Jane was
on her knees knees, peerng forward TaeY was glow
glanced at If she said that now, at last, We
should know what stun Marsh made OF. We
could That no Ikea giant and had need
10 bo. Tho green cloud spread and spread. Tho
wind came IN violent gusts with moments o. ominous
calm between In spite of tho coming tempest, tie
people In tho hshing soul5moht hero gathered near
US cIouching against the gale whom 1t came; looking
out 40 the Two dories In one OF the Gains a voice
croalied out hoarsey,
Marsh can't do it. No man can't Two's too many
for a dory In such time"
1t Capn Asel. Randy heard and shivered
out did not speak. Maria Jane turned fercely ON
the speaker.
81 guess you'll see that my husband knows whao
he's about" She said Her handsome dark face became
however, more and rigid. and her eyes
strained The next instant she throw her clasped
hands up In the air "see!" she cred out, "MaTsh
en- do it,"
1t had taken both strength and skin to lift LILY ont
Of her boat into his own, but Marsh had done 1t.
hntra IN, huN Marin Enna %